Labour last night scrapped its annual women's conference rather than face legal challenges and protests if it continued to admit transgender women.
The party's governing body was attacked by both women's rights campaigners and transgender activists over the decision as it wrestled with the consequences of the landmark Supreme Court ruling on single-sex services.
Meanwhile, in a parliamentary debate on Monday, four Labour MPs called for transgender people to be allowed to 'self-identify' as the opposite sex, revealing the depth of opposition within the party to the judgment, despite ministers saying they will abide by it.
A Labour Party spokesman said: 'Labour must ensure all party procedures comply with the Supreme Court's clear ruling. Labour is clear that everyone in our society deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.'
At a meeting of Labour's National Executive Committee yesterday, members voted to rewrite policies aimed at boosting women's involvement in politics on the basis of the court ruling, so that they apply only to those born female and no longer include men who identify as women.
